They beat out another Barbie cut, I’m Just Ken, as performed by Ryan Gosling and written by Barbie The Album executive producer Mark Ronson and his creative partner Andrew Wyatt. Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson’s It Never Went Away from American Symphony, Diane Warren’s The Fire Inside from Flamin’ Hot and Scott George’s Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People) from Killers of the Flower Moon rounded out the category.
Eilish and O’Connell are no strangers to the Oscar stage. In fact, they’re now two for two. Previously, they took home the trophy for their James Bond theme No Time To Die in 2021. That year, they beat out some impressive names, including Beyoncé, Van Morrison, Lin-Manuel Miranda and once again, Warren.
In the months leading up to the Academy Awards, What Was I Made For? has raked in numerous trophies: In 2024 alone, they’ve won a Golden Globe for best original song and two Grammys. Not bad for a song written about an 11.5-inch-tall plastic doll.
What Was I Made For? debuted at No 34 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, eventually peaking at No 14.
In the Barbie film, What Was I Made For? plays a key role – an instrumental version of the song pops up like a leitmotif, soundtracking introspective, existential moments for its protagonist. Eilish’s voice isn’t heard until the final scene, but at that point, the audience is well-prepared for its emotional impact.
Clearly, the duo excel at making music for movies. Before Barbie and Bond, three songs they wrote made it on Disney’s Turning Red soundtrack, pulling heavily from the likes of*NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
Source: CNA
